Global Views

Students captured moments with their cameras as they traveled abroad for educational and cultural adventures. Some results are here to enjoy.

Global Views

Share cultural experiences with Penn State students and faculty participating in our global programs, through their eyes and camera lenses. Our programs draw students from all over the world, and international enrollment continues to increase.

The 2012 Global Perspectives Photography Contest, sponsored by the University Office of Global Programs, invited Penn State students, faculty, and staff to submit photos taken abroad, and the results are in! The winning photographs ranged from landscapes of red dunes in the Namib Desert to snapshots of the crowded Chengdu East Railway Station to Arctic wildlife roaming icebergs. Photographs were judged according to four categories: “People,” “Places,” “Culture,” and “Me Abroad,” along with an overall “Best of Show” category. For each category, the judges recognized an American student, an international student, and a faculty/staff member’s photograph. Congratulations to all winners and all who participated!

Sunset in the Namib Desert, Namibia. This photo was taken a short distance from the Desert Research Institute, Gobabeb, Namibia. Best in Show category, Faculty/Staff

Image: Photographer: James Marden, Professor of Biology, Eberly College of Science

The photos you see here are examples of the global experiences Penn State offers. We are ranked 12th in the nation for its international student enrollment, the University’s highest ranking ever, contributing to a national all-time high in international educational exchange, according to the Institute of International Education’s annual Open Doors report released November 12, 2012.

Malaysian Chinese celebrated Chinese New Year by going to the temple at Malaysia. Winner, Culture category, International Students

Image: Photographer: How Soon Ngu, international student from Malaysia

A total of 6,075 international students were enrolled in 2012 at University Park and 6,621 University-wide, accounting for more than $187 million in economic impact on Pennsylvania in tuition, fees and living expenses, according to NASFA: Association of International Educators, annual Economic Impact Statement. Penn State edged out the University of Pennsylvania for the first time and leads the state in attracting international students.

"I was examining a piece of ice core we had just drilled near the WAIS Divide Camp in West Antarctica. Our core processing space is kept at ‐30C to preserve the core."Submitted by Donald Voigt, Senior Research Associate, College of Earth and Mineral SciencesWinner, Me Abroad category, Faculty/Staff

Image: Photographer: Gifford Wong, Dartmouth College

“It is exciting to see that the collective efforts of our faculty and staff, aimed at expanding our global reach is yielding positive results,” said Michael Adewumi, vice provost for Global Programs. “We continue to register significant increases in number of international students on our campuses, earning us recognition as a national leader in attracting the best and brightest students from many countries to Penn State.”

Native American arts and crafts markets in Arizona are being abandoned. The street markets started disappearing as the economy changed and new buildings opened with more conventional shops. Winner, Places category, International Students

Image: Photographer: Kyung Min Kim, international student from Korea

Penn State also ranked 11th in the nation for the number of students participating in Education Abroad opportunities.

“We are pleased to see the number of Education Abroad participants at University Park hold steady, but we sent a total of 2,677 students from across the state abroad during the 2010-11 academic year,” said Barbara Rowe, executive director of Education Abroad for the University Office of Global Programs. “We offer more than 200 opportunities around the world for a variety of costs and duration to help more students gain a global experience.”

Photo at top of page: Penn State student Jane Hargrave, who studied in Istanbul, Turkey, helps to guide a herd of goats to pasture during a two‐week farm stay in the village of Yakakoy, located in Turkey's Aegean region. Winner, Me Abroad category, Education Abroad

Kelsie Abduljawad, of Doha, Qatar, graduated in December 2014 with a master’s degree in educational leadership that she completed online through Penn State World Campus. She has been able to apply what she learned in her coursework to help with decision-making for her school’s accreditation, professional development programming and curriculum.

Would you believe Penn State New Kensington student R.J. Hines rode an Asian elephant in Thailand? Would you believe he rode a horse while sword fighting in Chonburi? How about a Ferris wheel in Bangkok? Actually, Hines did most of it as part of a summer business class at the campus.

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